What do IRS transcript codes 570 and 971 mean? Filed early April, TurboTax says approved but WMR shows processing
I submitted my taxes on April 3rd and paid for that "express" processing option from TurboTax that supposedly gets your refund faster. According to the TurboTax app, my taxes were approved, but when I check Where's My Refund tool it still says processing. I checked my transcript today and noticed codes 570 and 971 both dated 5/22/25. My cycle code is 20250715. The transcript shows zero balance due. What makes this even more confusing is that WMR just updated from "still processing" to just "processing" - is there even a difference? No updates on transcripts since I first checked them last week. Can anyone tell me what these codes actually mean and if I should be concerned?
41 comments
Andre Laurent
Code 570 is "additional account action pending" which temporarily freezes your refund, and 971 means "notice issued" - the IRS is sending you a letter to explain what's happening. These often appear together when there's some kind of adjustment or review happening. The good news is that a zero balance usually means they're not saying you owe more money. The change from "still processing" to "processing" on WMR is actually a positive sign - it typically means they've moved your return further along in the system. A few possibilities: 1. They could be making a math correction 2. Identity verification might be needed 3. They might be reviewing a credit or deduction you claimed Check your mail carefully over the next week - that 971 means they're sending you something that will explain exactly what's happening. Until then, unfortunately it's a waiting game.
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MidnightRider
Thank you for this detailed explanation! Do you know how long it typically takes after these codes appear before I might see movement? The waiting is driving me crazy
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Andre Laurent
It really varies. Sometimes just a few days, other times several weeks. If the letter is asking for additional info, that'll add time. But zero balance is usually good news!
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Zoe Papadopoulos
This is spot on. I had the same codes last year and it was just them adjusting my refund by like $17 because I made a calculation error. Got the letter about a week later explaining it.
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Jamal Washington
Mine took 3 weeks after these codes showed up, but I did end up getting my refund without having to do anything. The letter just explained they fixed a small math error.
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Mei Wong
Save yourself so much stress and confusion by using taxr.ai - it literally saved me hours of googling these exact codes last month. It scans your transcript and explains EVERYTHING in plain English, not IRS-speak. It showed me exactly why my refund was held up and even predicted when I'd get my money (and was accurate!). No more playing detective trying to piece together what's happening. I wish I'd known about it sooner! https://taxr.ai
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Liam Fitzgerald
Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?
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Mei Wong
It does so much more! You upload your transcript and it breaks down every code, explains what's happening with your return, shows you the exact timeline, and even predicts when you'll get your refund. It found things in my transcript I would have NEVER understood. Worth every penny since I was losing my mind trying to decode my transcript myself!
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PixelWarrior
idk sounds fishy...does it ask for a bunch of personal info? 🤔
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Mei Wong
I was skeptical too but honestly it saved me so much anxiety. Better than spending hours on hold with the IRS only to get someone who barely helps. This actually explained everything and was spot on about when my refund would come!
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Amara Adebayo
After seeing those same codes and being stuck for weeks, I finally used the Claimyr app and got through to an actual IRS human being in about 20 minutes. The agent explained exactly what was happening with my return and released my refund right there on the call. Total game changer - claimyr.com - I was about ready to pull my hair out after weeks of trying to get through on my own.
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Giovanni Rossi
wait does that actually work? I've been calling for 2 straight weeks and cant get through to anyone ðŸ˜
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Amara Adebayo
Worked amazingly for me! They basically navigate all the phone tree nonsense and secure your spot in line, then call you when an agent is available. Saved me from the endless hold music torture. And the agent I talked to immediately saw the issue and fixed it.
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Fatima Al-Mansour
This seems too good to be true. How much did it cost you?
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Amara Adebayo
Worth every cent considering I was about to lose my mind calling over and over. Plus once I actually talked to someone, I got my refund released within days instead of waiting who knows how long. Best money I've spent this tax season for sure.
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Dylan Evans
So I had those EXACT same codes last month! For me, they had adjusted my child tax credit amount - I claimed $1600 but they changed it to $1400. Got a letter explaining it about 10 days after the codes appeared. Then got my (slightly smaller) refund about a week after that. So its probably just a math correction. Annoying but nothing to panic about.
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Sofia Gomez
The IRS is such a joke. They can take our money instantly but when it comes to giving refunds its always "processing" and weird unexplained codes and delays. Taking my money: instant. Giving me MY money back: "we'll get to it when we feel like it" 🙄
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StormChaser
right?! its almost like theyre hoping we'll forget about our refunds and they can keep the money 💯
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Dmitry Petrov
To be fair they're super underfunded and understaffed. Doesn't make it any less frustrating tho
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Sofia Gomez
underfunded? they take BILLIONS from us every year. figure it out! 🤡
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Ava Williams
Those TurboTax "early" options are basically a scam. They don't actually make the IRS process your return any faster. All it does is get you your preparation fee taken out of your refund instead of paying upfront. I stopped falling for that years ago.
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Miguel Castro
THIS. They charge you $40 for literally nothing. The IRS processes returns in the order they receive them, period. No magic TurboTax button makes them go faster.
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MidnightRider
ugh... wish I'd known this before I paid for it 😫
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Zainab Ibrahim
Don't stress too much. I freaked out when I saw those same codes last year cuz I thought I was being audited or something. Turned out they just adjusted my refund amount by like $8 because of a rounding error. Got paid like 3 weeks after those codes appeared.
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Connor O'Neill
LOL welcome to tax purgatory my friend. Those codes mean "we're doing something but we're not gonna tell you exactly what until we send you a letter that might take 2 weeks to arrive." The IRS operates on a different time dimension than the rest of us mere mortals. Just keep checking your mail.
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Zoe Papadopoulos
tax purgatory 🤣🤣🤣 omg thats exactly what it feels like!!
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LunarEclipse
I really recommend using taxr.ai if you want to understand your transcript better. I was in the same situation with those mystery codes and it explained everything in seconds and told me exactly what was going on with my return. Saved me from having to interpret all the IRS codes and weird dates https://taxr.ai
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Yara Khalil
another tax service? aren't there enough companies trying to profit off the complicated tax system 🙄
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LunarEclipse
This isn't like TurboTax or those prep services. It just helps you understand what's happening with your refund after you've filed. I was staring at my transcript like it was written in hieroglyphics before using this. Now I know exactly what's happening and when I'll get paid.
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Keisha Brown
what ur seeing is pretty normal actually. those codes usualy mean theres a small change or adjustment their making. i had same thing happen 2 weeks ago and yesterday got a letter saying they adjusted my refund by $23 (i made mistake on some interest income). check should be deposited next week acording to the letter. they just take forevr to process anything.
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Paolo Esposito
Hey! Tax professional here. Those codes together typically indicate a hold on your account with a notice being generated to explain why. The most common reasons are: 1. Math error corrections (very common) 2. Income verification (they're checking something you reported) 3. Credit eligibility verification (like EITC or child tax credit) The good news is that with a zero balance, it's unlikely they think you owe more. The change from "still processing" to "processing" is actually a positive step forward. I would strongly recommend checking out taxr.ai - it's a tool many of my clients use to decode their transcripts without needing to call me for every little update. It explains everything much better than the IRS website does.
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MidnightRider
Thank you so much for this detailed info! Do you know approximately how long it might take after seeing these codes before a refund is issued?
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Paolo Esposito
It varies, but typically 2-4 weeks after the codes appear if no further action is needed from you. If they request additional information, it'll depend on how quickly you respond and how quickly they process your response. But most simple adjustments are resolved within a month.
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Amina Toure
I had exactly the same situation. I was able to get through to an agent using claimyr.com and they told me right away what was happening (they were reviewing my home office deduction) and got my refund released on the spot! Saved me weeks of waiting for a letter and then more waiting after I responded. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human.
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Oliver Weber
I stared at those same codes for weeks trying to figure out what they meant. Finally broke down and used taxr.ai and within minutes I knew exactly what was happening - they were verifying my dependents because I had a different filing status than last year. The tool even predicted when I'd get my refund and was spot on! No more guessing and anxiety about what's happening with my money.
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FireflyDreams
I'm in the same situation - different filing status this year. How long did it take to get your refund after seeing those codes?
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Oliver Weber
For me it was about 3 weeks total. The letter came after about 10 days, and then the refund followed about 10 days after that. The taxr tool was accurate in predicting both dates which was pretty impressive.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
The cycle code you mentioned (20250903) is your processing cycle. "Processing" vs. "Still Processing" on WMR is actually meaningful - it typically means they've assigned your return to a specific processing team. The 570/971 combo usually means some kind of adjustment. If your transcript shows a zero balance, they'll likely release your refund soon after whatever review they're doing is complete.
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Javier Morales
Anyone notice how the IRS has gotten slower and slower every year? My parents said they used to get refunds in like a week or two back in the day. Now we're all sitting here decoding cryptic messages like we're working for the CIA just to figure out when we'll get OUR money back. The whole system is broken.
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Emma Anderson
For real. My grandpa said they used to get refund checks in like 10 days flat. Now we're waiting months and stalking our transcripts like crazy people.
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Malik Thompson
decades of budget cuts + more complex tax code + more returns to process = this mess
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